Follow Your Fate
by DarkAngel1227
Summary: Audrey Parker had lived many different lives. Sarah Vernon and Lucy Ripley vanished without a trace and her time as Audrey Parker was running out. She wasn't ready to go yet, but was it even possible to change her fate?
1. The End

**Follow Your Fate**

Summary: Audrey Parker had found out she'd had been many different people and lived many different lives. She had found answers to some of her questions and more questions than answers. But one question remained. Can you fight your fate?

**Ch 1. The End**

They were on the floor; his back was against the couch, she was nestled between his legs as her head rested on his shoulder and his arms were wrapped around her tightly. They sat in silence watching the flames as they licked and crackled around the logs. They didn't know what to say or what was left to say.

Outside her window one of nature's most spectacular cosmic light shows was happening, but all she could imagine was a big fireball burning through the atmosphere coming to swallow her up or streaks of light reaching down to grab her like skeletal fingers. The Hunter's sights was aimed towards her.

She wasn't dying, her body would live to be inhabited by someone else as it had many times before. All her memories of this life would be gone. Audrey Parker would cease to exist.

She was shaking has Nathan pulled her closer into him. She didn't want to go. Did the others know their time was up? Did they have a chance to prepare, to say goodbye or did they just vanish? "I'm sorry" she said in a sobbed whisper. She wished she had more time and she wished she hadn't wasted her time on pushing him away instead of being with him. She told herself she was doing it so it wouldn't hurt him as much when she left. But she'd hurt him either way. And what she learned wouldn't matter because she'd forget it all anyway. She had an expiration date and now it was too late, they didn't have any more time.

"It's not your fault" Nathan croaked out hoarsely. "You're here now" he told her as his breath caught in his throat. "That's what matters" He couldn't feel the tears on his face, the dampness of her hair told him he was crying. He held on to her tightly hoping that would be enough to keep her here. They didn't know when it would happen or how it would happen. They were just trying to spend whatever time she had left in each other's arms.

Both of them were never much for talking and maybe they didn't need to. They said what they needed to say. There was nothing left to do but wait.

Tbc…


	2. Ch 2 Seventeen Days Left

**Follow Your Fate**

Summary: Audrey Parker had found out she'd had been many different people and lived many different lives. She had found answers to her questions and more questions than answers. But one question remained. Can you fight your fate?

**Countdown: Seventeen Days Left**

Nathan sat at his desk trying to concentrate on the file in front of him. He was trying to ignore her but she just sat there staring at him, if he looked up she'd smile but she wouldn't say anything unless he spoke first. "You really don't have to do this" he said taking a quick glance at her then looking back the paper on his desk.

"I do, it's my job" Claire replied. "You were brought back from the dead, Chief Wuornos. That has to have some kind of effect on you"

"Not really, I don't remember dying. I just woke up and I was fine" he told her and again trying to concentrate.

"You woke in the morgue" she said to him. She nodded her head "Okay, we'll go back to that." She said and changed the subject. "How did you feel seeing Audrey there?" They both got nervous when she asked them about each other. But that was the only time she could really get any kind of emotion out of them.

Nathan looked up but avoided eye contact with her. "She's my partner; she would care if something happened to me"

"I'm not asking how you think she felt, I'm asking how you felt" Claire said moving her head to meet his eyes.

He cleared his throat, scratched his neck and answered "Fine"

"Fine as in handsome, lovely…hot?" she said with small smile.

His brows furrowed slightly, he shifted uncomfortable in his chair. "Fine as in, okay, good, healthy" he answered. "Aren't we supposed to be talking about my coming back from the dead?" he asked.

"We are" Claire replied. His mannerism told her he hadn't heard Audrey's confession of love. How could he, the sun hadn't set yet. He was still dead. No matter how many things she's seen since she started working here, this town still managed to surprise her.

There was a knock on his door. "Chief, sorry to interrupt" the officer said.

"It's fine, what is it?" he asked hoping for a case.

"We got a call to look into something at Schooner Park."

"I'll take it" he said getting up quickly. "I guess we'll have to finish this later" he said to Claire.

"I'm going with you. I have to evaluate you in the field and make sure there are no adverse effects" She replied getting up and picking her coat of the chair.

Nathan nodded stiffly. Now he could see why Parker didn't like this. Although she was seeing her a lot, so maybe she could be trusted. He just didn't like talking about his life to anyone. He grabbed his coat and walked out the door.

He pulled his truck up to the curb and got out. He heard the door of her car close behind him; if she was going to come with him he told her she had to drive her own car. This was police business and she wasn't a cop and he didn't want to have to talk on the ride over. He wanted to just focus on his job.

He walked through the grass to where his officers were gathered around a tree where the unmistakable outline of a body was hanging from a rope. He walked faster and heard her soft footfalls hurrying to catch up with him.

"Suicide?" he asked the officer that had walked up to meet him.

"It appears that way, but hanging yourself is a hell of a way to do it" the officer replied.

He slowed when he saw the faces of the officers looking at the still swinging body. Claire caught up to him and he grabbed her wrist to stop her from going further. He whipped his hand from her wrist as if he had been burned, his heart beat sped up and his breathing increased as he stared at his hand.

Claire looked at her wrist and at him. It looked like he had been shocked but she feel anything.

He was still staring at his hand when officer Wagner came over to him. "Name's George Brewster." He told him sadly. "My wife's friends with his wife, she just had a baby yesterday."

Nathan shook his head and tried to focus on what Officer Wagner was saying. But all he could think about was the warm soft skin he felt underneath his fingertips, he felt her. They only person he could feel was Audrey. Before thinking about it he reached out and grabbed Officer Wagner's hand. The Officer looked at him strangely. He felt nothing like he was supposed to. Nathan let go of him and tried to play it off as he thought was leaving. "Uh…you said his wife just had a baby?"

"Yes" the officer replied.

He was trying to concentrate, but why could he feel her. He was thinking of Audrey, did his mind just manifest what she felt like. No, that's never happened before. The troubles were still here, why could he feel her? He looked to his side and saw that Claire was gone.

"Was he having money trouble?" Claire asked going around looking at the body. His face was pale with dark spots under his eyes and his mouth drooped into a perpetual frown.

"No, Ma'am" Officer Wager answered. "He had a good job, he owns the Fish Market over on Main."

"Is there any signs this may be foul play?" he asked the medical examiner that was examining the body. "He hung himself, there are scratches on his hands from climbing the tree and I found strands of the rope that he put around his neck under his fingernails."

"Having a child is supposed to be one of the happiest moments in one's life. But this" Claire said getting closer to look at the body. "This looks as if someone drained all the happiness right out of him"

"A trouble" Nathan supplied.

"Yes, I would say it is." Claire told them unable to take her eyes off the body.

"Someone took all his happiness and then he killed himself" Nathan theorized. "Does Mr. Brewster have any enemies?" Nathan asked Officer Wagner.

"Not that I know of" Officer Wagner replied.

"Who else knew his wife had a baby?"

"Everyone, he was so excited he told most anyone that walked into his store"

"So anyone that goes to Brewster's Fish Market is a suspect" Nathan said with a sigh. He hadn't forgot what just happened but he needed to find the troubled person. George Brewster should be celebrating the birth of his child, not swinging from a tree.

"Audrey Parker" she heard her name called, she put the magazine down and stood up. She followed the nurse into the room and stood around nervously looking at everything on the wall.

"Miss Parker, I'm Dr. Martin" The doctor said as she entered the room; she was a pleasant looking woman, late forties with soft brown hair and sweet smile.

She lay on the table with her legs up while the doctor examined her. June Cogan didn't even know what year it was and she had been wrong before about who the Colorado Kid was to her, this time she could get actual proof. That's why she was here and it was a good thing this was Haven because she wouldn't be able to ask this strange request anywhere else.

The Doctor stood up and Audrey looked at her. "The stretching and scarring…indicates that you have given birth" the doctor told her.

Audrey closed her eyes and took deep breaths. The doctor cleaned up and Audrey got dressed still trying to process everything. She had been pregnant and had a baby. The Colorado Kid was her son.

Her phone started ringing; she took it out of her pocket and looked at the screen. "Thank you" she said to the Doctor and walked out of the room "Nathan" she said as she answered the call. "A trouble?" she asked as she listened to Nathan tell her what had happened.

"Looks that way, Dr. Callahan thinks this person can take happiness away" Nathan said to her. "You there Parker?" he asked when she didn't respond.

"Yes"

"His wife just had a baby, she still at the hospital. We should let her know"

"You know what; I'm near the hospital so I'll take care of it." Audrey told him and moved further into an empty hallway so Nathan couldn't hear the intercoms and realize she was already at the hospital. She wanted to tell him what she discovered now that she knew it was true, but not over the phone.

"You sure?" he asked.

"Yeah, you should probably talk to the employees at his store and see if we can narrow the suspect list down"

Audrey stood outside the room looking in at Marianne Brewster holding her newborn son and smiling at him. She knew she should be thinking how awful it would be to tell this new mother that her husband was dead, but all she could think about was did she ever hold James like that? Was she as happy as this woman is being a mother?

"Audrey?" Claire asked walking over to her. Nathan told her Audrey was going to tell wife. She drove over to help because Audrey had been acting strange ever since she and Duke got back from Colorado. Something happened and she wanted to know what, but she couldn't push the issue. Not if she wanted Audrey to tell her. When she arrived she saw Audrey just standing outside Mrs. Brewster's room staring in. "Audrey?" she said again because she wasn't answering. Audrey turned her head slowly registering her presence. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Yes" Audrey replied unconvincingly. She was still trying to process it and seeing this woman and her son was pushing all these questions into her mind. She had a son, but she didn't because Sarah had a son and she wasn't Sarah anymore. She closed her eyes and exhaled. She needed to focus, the past was over, she can't think about that. She had to do her job and then continue to look for James Cogan, because he may have answers to her questions.

"You said this trouble takes people's happiness" she said and looked back in the room. "Look how happy she is…how am I any better? I'm going to go in there and take away her happiness." She knocked on the door and walked inside. "Mrs. Brewster, I'm Detective Parker"

"I know who you are." she responded suspiciously.

Audrey nodded at the nurse who took baby from her arms. She waited until the nurse left with the baby. Marianne Brewster pushed herself up to a sitting position as Audrey walked closer to her. "I'm here about your husband"

"George" she said as her eyes locked on to hers as she took a seat next to the bed.

Audrey stared into the woman's eyes. "I'm sorry" Audrey said to her.

The woman's hand went to her chest. "No!" she said loudly as her body convulsed forward and she started crying.

She hated this, telling them wasn't the worst part. The worst part was asking them questions after they had just received the worst news in their lives. "I'm so sorry to have to ask you this now" she said and continued. "Does your husband have anyone that would want to…hurt him?"

"No" she replied as tears streamed down her face. "We're a family…"

Audrey breathed deeply again. "Was there anyone suspicious hanging around you or your husband in the last few days?"

"It was a troubled person that killed him, wasn't it?" she asked.

Audrey looked at the woman, she knew about the troubles. She suspected the whole town did and they pretended they didn't. "We're not entirely sure, but it looks like it. Do you know anyone whose trouble can take away…happiness?"

She looked at her in shock. "They can take away happiness?" she asked and started sobbing again.

Audrey stood up. "I'm sorry" she said again unable to look the woman in the eyes. "If you think of anyone…please call us so we can catch this person before they…" She couldn't even finish her sentence she had to get out of here. Marianne Brewster nodded her head and Audrey walked out of her room.

Tbc..


	3. Ch 3 Sixteen Days Left

**Follow Your Fate**

Summary: Audrey Parker had found out she'd had been many different people and lived many different lives. She had found answers to her questions and more questions than answers. But one question remained. Can you fight your fate?

**Countdown: Sixteen Days Left**

She walked down the empty hallway as if she was in a daze; it was early so she didn't even know if she'd be there. She couldn't sleep so she gave up and got dressed. She was thinking about Nathan, about the case and what she learned in the past few days. Her mind was spinning. She didn't even know how she had ended up here. But here she was.

Audrey slowed down when she got near her office; the light was on so she was at work. She was a hard worker and she cared, so she supposed that meant something. She poked her head in and knocked on the door frame "Dr. Callahan" she said. "I'm sorry...I don't have an appointment"

"That's okay, Detective Parker, come in" Claire replied surprised to see her here. She got up from her desk and offered a seat to her and sat down in one of the chairs.

Audrey took a deep breath and walked into her office and sat down on the chair across from her.

Audrey sat there quietly breathing. "Is everything alright?" Claire asked. Audrey opened her mouth but didn't say anything. When she applied for this job they told her that many people couldn't handle it, that it was too strange and too dangerous. She had other reasons for taking the job but she also became a Psychiatrist to help people. And the people here need someone to talk too, to help them control their abilities. She wanted to help them. They told her about Audrey and Lucy and Sarah and what she was to this town. So when she was told to talk to her she didn't think of her as anyone other than another person that needed her help. She lived all these lives just to help the people of this town. If anyone needed someone to talk to it was her. "Did you find the answers you were looking for in Colorado?" She asked.

"No" Audrey replied. "I found new ones" she told her and leaned back in the chair. "Every time I think I know, I'm wrong"

"About the Colorado Kid?" she asked trying to calm down and not get too excited.

"Yeah" Audrey answered and took a deep breath. "June Cogan is in a nursing home she has Alzheimer's. When I went to visit her…she thought I was Sarah."

"Sarah?" Claire repeated tilting her head slightly. "Not Lucy?"

"No, I don't think she knew Lucy" Audrey replied. "So I dressed up as Sarah to see if I can get some answers from her and she told me that I had brought James to her to take care of. " She paused to collect herself. "Turns out that the Colorado Kid…is my kid" she told her with a nervous grin.

"What?" Claire asked louder then she intended.

"Well he's Sarah's kid…but I was Sarah…so…" she left the sentence hanging. She then noticed that Claire hadn't said anything more so she looked at her. Claire's mouth was open slightly, her brows were furrowed, her eyes were wide and she was staring at the ground not really seeing it. She looked as freaked out as she felt. "I know who saw that twist coming" she said trying to lighten the mood.

Claire looked at her and stood up. She walked around her desk and opened a drawer. She came back with a photo album in her hand and she held it out to Audrey.

Audrey slowly reached up, took the album from her and opened it the first page. There she saw a picture of James Cogan in his wedding tuxedo looking down at his bride. "Where did you get this?" she asked unsure about what this meant.

Claire was still standing and had to use the arm of her chair to keep from falling as she answered "It's my parents wedding album"

Audrey's breath caught in her throat. "Your parents" she said unable to take her eyes from the picture. "This is James Cogan" she told her.

"I know" Claire replied.

They both looked at each other in wide eyed silence. Trying to wrap their minds around what they had just discovered. Audrey sucked in her breath then exhaled. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I wanted to..I just had to be sure it was him" Claire said her own breathing becoming labored. "And I wasn't until you found out his name" she sank back into the chair. "I was two when my mother…" she stopped to catch her breath. "When my mother killed herself. I grew up in Connecticut with my grandparents; they told me my father died too and my mother had already changed our names to her maiden name so I didn't know who he was. They would never talk about my father. It wasn't until after my grandparents died when I found a box of my mother's belongings. A picture of my father, his name, and a newspaper article that said James Cogan was last seen in Nederland, Colorado with a brown haired woman"

"Lucy Ripley" Audrey interjected rubbing her hand along her face.

"There was also an envelope marked from Haven, Maine. I couldn't find the letter that was probably inside it. I think my mother thought he left her for another woman and she couldn't handle that" Claire told Audrey. She didn't know if that was true, but that's what made sense to her. "I became obsessed with finding out what happened to my father. Why he would just leave. Then I heard about this town, so I found a way to get this job."

Audrey listened to Claire tell her story, running her hands along her face trying to wrap her head around what she had just learned. "The Colorado Kid is your father" she said trying to finish her train of thought. "And he's my son...that makes me…"

"My grandmother" Claire finished for her.

Audrey brought hands to her face and looked at Claire. Her granddaughter. Her granddaughter who's life she ruined. Sarah gave her son to June Cogan, Lucy found him and took him away from his wife and daughter and then he was killed, but he wasn't dead. So was he killed and brought back like Nathan? And where is he now?

Nathan" Claire said suddenly startling Audrey.

"What about Nathan?"

She didn't think much of it at the time. But now after what they found out. "The other day, he grabbed my arm and ripped it away like I burned him."

"He felt you." She said more than asked. "Your patients when they talked to you, they never…?"

"I never thought about it" She replied but now she was thinking about it. "They've gotten angry with me, one of them set my curtains on fire, but they never hurt me with their abilities." She said coming to that sudden realization. "I thought I was just doing a good job" she said with a small laugh. "But it was because I'm like you"

"You were probably doing a good job too." Audrey reassured her. "You got me to talk to you" She said with a smile. She was talking to her granddaughter right now; she was still trying to process that when she could feel her phone vibrate in her pocket. She closed her eye and breathed out to collect herself. "Nathan" she said when she answered the phone.

"Another suicide" she repeated and looked at Claire. After she hung up with Nathan she told Claire what he told her. "Newlyweds shot themselves. The husband is still alive"

Claire nodded. Finding out who was doing this was more important than anything else. They'd have time to talk later. She grabbed her coat and followed Audrey out of her office. They were going to meet Nathan at the hospital to talk to the husband.

Tbc..


	4. Ch 4 Sixteen Days Left Continued

Follow Your Fate

Summary: Audrey Parker had found out she'd had been many different people and lived many different lives. She had found answers to her questions and more questions than answers. But one question remained. Can you fight your fate?

**Countdown: Sixteen Days Left**

They found Nathan in the hallway when they arrived at the hospital. "They removed the bullet from his shoulder, then he tried to get up and jump out of the window so they had to sedate him" he told them when they joined him near Sam Holt's room. They peered into the room Nathan moved away from Claire when she got too close.

"I'm going to go talk to the Doctor to see what I can find out about his condition" Claire told them and walked away.

Nathan's eyes followed her as she left. "Something weird happened the other day" Nathan began to tell Audrey.

"I know" Audrey replied and looked at him Nathan cocked his eye brow at her.

They needed to wait for Mr. Holt to wake up to ask him any questions. It wasn't the ideal place she wanted to tell him her news, but her life was on a timer and she wanted him to know. "Can we talk?" she asked him. Claire glanced at her from across the room, they nodded at each other.

She led Nathan into an empty room. She walked inside, ran hands along her face and sighed. Nathan was a little curious as to what was going on. "You felt her?" She asked as she turned to face him. "Claire"

Nathan's eyes widened slightly. "How do you know that?"

"She told me"

"How is that possible?" he asked. "It shouldn't be possible"

Audrey turned and looked out the window. "In Colorado…" she turned to look at him. "I found out that Sarah had son… James Cogan is my…son"

Nathan's eyes widened as he took in that information. "Your son" That was shocking to say the least. That would never have crossed his mind and maybe it should've. She's older than she looked. His father told him that he couldn't love her because she was too important to this town. He didn't care because he had never felt this way before. There wasn't a lot in his life he wanted to hold on too but she was someone that he didn't want to lose. Then they found out she vanishes in a few months. They should have known that once they found out she was Sarah, then Lucy, they never stayed.

She wasn't normal, he wasn't normal and that's one of the things he liked. She had started to pull away from him because she thought she loved someone else and she did love someone else. "A son" he repeated still trying to process it all. "You're sure?" He asked concerned, she had been wrong before about her previous lives.

"Yes" Audrey replied. "I went to a doctor. I had a baby" she told him. "That's not all, Nathan" She said. "James Cogan was married and he had a daughter"

Nathan took a few steps backwards as that sank in. He looked out small window in the door and his eyes widened in realization. "She's…?"

"Yes" Audrey replied. "That's why you can feel her, we're related" she said with a small smile.

Nathan looked at her. "Wow" was all he could manage to say. He smiled at her. She had always wanted a family, to know she wasn't alone.

"I know" Audrey replied with a laugh. She turned when she heard a soft knock on the door.

Claire opened it slowly. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Mr. Holt's awake" she told them. She felt bad barging in like that but Mr. Holt was not in good shape if they wanted to talk to him they had to do it sooner rather than later. And from the look Nathan was giving her Audrey already told him everything.

"Thanks" Audrey replied. "We should talk to him." She looked at Nathan and walked past him out of the door. She felt better now that she told him but she was still trying to wrap her own mind around the fact that she had a family.

Nathan stood in the empty hospital room for a couple more seconds trying to collect his thoughts. He glanced over by the door where Claire was standing holding it open for him. She had Audrey's clear blue eyes and round chin. She exuded the same warmth and kindness that Audrey did, that's why the troubled talked to her. That's why Audrey talked to her before she knew who she was. He looked at her as he passed by her.

"Well, I can't be your therapist anymore" she said with a smile.

"There's that" Nathan deadpanned, and then gave her a small smile.

"However the two of you really need to talk to someone…or even each other perhaps" she told him and started to walk towards Audrey. She laughed quietly to herself at the notion that she was trying to hook her grandmother up with a guy.

They both joined Audrey in the patient's room. "Mr. Holt, I'm Detective Parker, this is Chief Wuornos and Dr. Callahan" when he didn't reply. She walked further into the room. Sam Holt was lying prone on the hospital bed, he face looked ashen and he had dark black circles under his eyes, which were open but unmoving.

Claire went closer to the bed to check his vitals. He was breathing but he looked like death or what she imagined death would look like.

"It doesn't matter" Sam Holt croaked out in a horse whisper suddenly startling all of them. "Nothing matters, life doesn't matter."

"Mr. Holt?" Audrey said moving closer to him to get in his line of sight. "I'd like to ask you some questions"

"There's only the end, that's when it stops" He replied.

Audrey looked at him, he was looking at her but it was like he was staring right through her. She didn't even know if he knew anyone was here or that he killed his wife. The photographer had given him their wedding photos, in them Sam Holt's eyes were a bright, emerald green but when she stared into them now they were pale green almost grey.

"Even in my worst cases of severe depression. I've never seen this. It's almost like his entire body is depressed, his organs are giving up and shutting down" Claire told them reading his file.

"Will he make it? Audrey asked as they walked out his room., they weren't going to get any answers from him.

"Not unless we find a way to reverse what happened to him." Claire replied.

"So you're saying that even if they don't kill themselves, they'd die anyway?" Nathan asked her.

"Yes, this trouble is not only taking their happiness, it's draining their bodies will to live."

Audrey looked over at Sam Holt who had gone back into a catatonic state. He looked dead already. "If they have to take others happiness, it probably means they are the one that are not happy"

"That makes sense" Claire told her as she thought about it. "I'll go back to my office and look at my cases and see if I have any that might fit this" she said and left them standing in the hallway.

When they were alone Nathan looked at her like he wanted to say something, but his phone rang before he could. He looked at the screen. "It's Jordan" he told her. Audrey pursed her lips together and smiled thinly. "I should see if she knows if anyone in the Guard has this trouble"

"Yeah, that's a good idea" she told him. It was a good idea, it just depended on if she would tell them. "I'll go look through the reports from the other day and see if I can find anything that stands out"

Nathan smiled thinly, nodded and answered his phone as Audrey walked away.

As she was looking over the reports back at the station she received a call that Sam Holt had died, so that was three murders. They needed to catch this person before there was another.

Claire was sitting across from her and they were comparing her files to the reports they took from the employees and nearby shop owners and ambulance reports about any suicide attempts in the past few years. They were looking for someone that used to be depressed and is not anymore because they were stealing other people happiness. And you couldn't get that from a piece of a paper. They'd have to go interview these people herself but it was too late to do that now.

Nathan had also called her and told her Jordan didn't know anyone with that trouble and if they did that person wouldn't want to hang around the Guard since they were not the most upbeat group of people. There wasn't much else she could do tonight so she went home.

"You're a grandma" Duke said with an enthusiastic smile after she told him. They were sitting at the bar, nursing some beers.

"Grandma Audrey" Duke said loudly and proudly with a grin. "It has a nice ring to it" She smiled and took a swig of her beer. "Maybe I should make you a Mimosa or something, what do grandma's drink?" He asked loosely holding the neck of his beer.

"I don't know" she replied. "If I had a grandma I don't remember her."

"Mine died when I was five all I remember was she smelled funny" Duke told her. "…but you don't have that problem"

"That's good." she said and took another drink of her beer and looked out the door at the water. Her memories told her she was an orphan that she had no one. Now she was a mother and a grandmother. "Now I have even more reasons to find James."

Duke nodded his head and drank from his bottle. "If Lucy was hiding him and…he's supposed to be dead, he'll have to have changed his name." He told her. "I know some guys that were around in the 80's that do that kind of stuff, I'll see if they know anything"

"Thanks" she told him. She was determined to reunite Claire and her father before she left. She wouldn't be in their lives, but they should be in each other's. They were her family. She smiled at the thought of that.

"So…he'll be like fifty" Duke said thinking about how he was going to explain the guys why he needed this information.

"Fifty… I didn't even think of that. I'm younger than him, I look younger than him." Audrey said realizing that for the first time. She was just thinking of finding her son, not thinking that the last time she'd seen him was twenty seven years ago and now he had a twenty eight year old daughter.

"Hey, on the bright side it's always good to have the hot mom…and grandma." he said with a grin.

She gave him a small laugh. Then it brought her back to thinking about what happened in Colorado or what almost happened. "Duke" she said. They had kind of talked about it but she just wanted to make sure he was okay. She didn't want to hurt them and she seemed to be doing just that. She knew Nathan hadn't heard her confession, but he had.

"It's fine. You love him" Duke said to her. "You don't have much time, if anyone deserves few moments of happiness, it's you"

"He's with Jordan" She told him and stared at her beer.

Duke looked at her. "He's standing next to Jordan, but that's not who he's thinking about." He told her. "Everyone can see how much he…loves you" He wasn't going to lie, it hurt him. But he cared about both of them. They deserved to be happy together.

"I'm not going to be here, she is" Audrey told him. "I've got a few more weeks left; he can spend a lifetime with Jordan. It's better this way." She said more to herself than to him. "I don't want Nathan to hold on to someone that will no longer exist. It's better to stop before things get too deep."

Duke put his beer down on the bar and looked her in the eyes. "You can hold on to regret forever too" he told her. "He'll regret he didn't spend more time with you while you were here. And there's no getting that back once you're gone."

Audrey looked down at the bar thinking about what he said.

"Well it's late, I better get going home" Duke told her.

Audrey was still thinking about it. Maybe he was right. She turned to look at him. "If it's alright, I'm going to stay down here a little bit longer"

"Yeah, just remember to turn off the lights" He told her as he took his jacket off the hook and put it over his arm. Audrey nodded. He smiled at her and was about to turn towards the door, when he stopped. "And Parker if you drink any of my liquor, remember I will keep track of your tab plus the interest, even for the next twenty seven years. "

Audrey smiled at him. "Fair enough." Duke smiled at her and left.

She sat in the empty restaurant and finished her beer. She only had few weeks left to try to put her life together. Then she'd be gone and have to start over again. Was it worth it? Or should she try to hold on to what she had now?

Tbc…


	5. Ch 5 Fifteen Days Left

**Follow Your Fate**

Summary: Audrey Parker had found out she'd had been many different people and lived many different lives. She had found answers to her questions and more questions than answers. But one question remained. Can you fight your fate?

**Countdown: Fifteen Days Left**

"No, it's too dangerous" Audrey told her. The three of them were sitting in her office. They had narrowed the suspect list down to three. One of them no longer lived in Haven and the other seemed to have her illness under control. She had gotten married and had a baby on the way, so it seemed unlikely that she was going around stealing other people happiness. The third suspect wasn't home when they arrived at his house.

His name was Phillip Carter; he was forty six years old and lived alone. He attempted to kill himself a few years ago but was revived by a doctor. His girlfriend was the one that found him and called 911.

When they got a hold of the girlfriend, she told them she left him because all he talked about was how nothing mattered that life didn't matter. That death was the answer to everything. She didn't want their daughter growing up in house like that, she was afraid he'd kill them. So she took her and left.

"I'm the only that can do this. He knows who you are." Claire told her. "I'm like you; his trouble isn't going to affect me."

Audrey looked at Claire, she started out as her therapist, and then she started thinking of her as friend. But now she was looking at her as her granddaughter.

A neighbor told them that Phillip goes on fishing trips near Gordon Trail. Since they didn't have much time they were going to set a trap for him. Claire had volunteered.

"He can't hurt me" Claire said to them.

"Yes, he can. He doesn't need to take away your happiness to hurt you" Audrey replied back. The officers they sent out to Gordon Trail found him fishing in the river.

"And you'll be there, watching me. I trust you to keep me safe" She told her. It was strange to be seeing Audrey as her grandmother instead of her patient. "We have to catch this guy before anyone else gets hurt"

"What are you going to say to make him think you're happy?"

"The truth" Claire looked at her and smiled. "I'll say I found the family I'd been searching for." with that Claire got up and left to get ready for their plan.

She didn't like this. She had just found her granddaughter she didn't want to lose her. She looked up when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She smiled at Nathan, what Duke said to her was still running through her mind.

"She's tough, she can handle herself" Nathan told her. "She's like you." He saw how protective Audrey had become of Claire. She didn't get to raise her son or granddaughter, but she would've been great at it.

He was with Jordan but all he could think about was her. If she wanted to just be friends he'd take it because he'd rather spend her last few weeks by her side then without her. He'd be whoever she needed him to be, police Chief, partner, friend.

"I know" she replied and laid her hand on top of his. She was about to lean her head down when she stopped herself. She removed her hand from his and stood up. She did want to be with him but she a little over two weeks left was that enough time? She hated this. So she resolved herself to catching a killer first and then she'll think about what to do about Nathan.

They walked out of her office and saw Dwight come into the station. "Chief" he said. "We have a issue" he told them.

"We're kind of in the middle of a case, can it wait?" Nathan asked him.

"Not really" he said gruffly. He walked closer to him. "It's about the Guard" he whispered in his ear. Nathan eyed Audrey to see if she heard what he said.

Audrey looked at him. "If it's important you should go. We can handle this." She told him. "I'll bring more backup"

He didn't want to leave Audrey's side. But he was still the Police Chief of Haven and he still needed to know what the Guard knew about Audrey. She had told him that June Cogan was living in safe house run by the Guard. So they might know about her son and maybe even where he is. He wanted to help Audrey find her him before she left. "Okay" he replied. "Be careful"

"You too." she said staring into his eyes. Suddenly the image of him lying dead on the grass entered her mind. She took deep breaths trying to push the image back. He was alive; she didn't need to think about that anymore. And he'd be with Dwight this time. She told herself, he'd be fine, this was their job. They'd helped people. She couldn't watch over him all the time and in a few weeks she wouldn't be here at all to help him.

She was crotched near a bush with Duke; they were waiting for Claire to jog up to her mark. The officers staking out the river bank told her Phillip was still fishing. They told her the sound should carry over to him because other joggers had passed by him and he lifted his head to look at them when they did.

She called Duke because she didn't know how this was going to go down and she wanted to have every scenario covered. She told him why she was calling him and he didn't hesitate to say yes.

Audrey let out the breath she had been holding when they saw Claire's auburn hair bobbing along the trail as she ran. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed her number.

She pumped her arms to the beat of the music until the music paused to let her know she was receiving a call. She spotted Phillip over on the bank, his back was towards her. "Hello" she said and smiled. "Yeah, I have great news!"

Audrey took the phone from her ear and watched, she was ready for any movement.

"I found my dad!" Claire said excitedly into the phone. "I know, I can't believe it either. All this time and I finally found him!" she was smiling so wide her face hurt. "I don't how to explain how I feel!"

Audrey's heart beat faster, she wasn't faking it, she was genuinely happy. Then her eyes locked on the man that must be Phillip Carter walking over to Claire with a friendly smile on his face.

"Yeah, we'll talk more when I see you" she said and hung up her phone.

"I'm sorry for eavesdropping, but I couldn't help but overhear. You found your dad?" he asked still smiling. He stopped a few feet from her to seem non-threatening.

He was skinny man that looked like he was starting to put on weight. His face was bright, almost shiny when the sunlight hit it. His cheeks were rosy; he looked like the friendliest person in the world.

"That's great news, really great news" as he continued talking to her.

"Yeah, thanks" she replied smiling. "It is"

"Sounds like you should be celebrating'" he said still grinning at her. "You know what; I got some beers in my cooler. You want one?"

Claire studied him while keeping a smile plastered on her face. She noticed the way his voice changed as he invited her have a drink with him. It was like he expected her to just follow him. Maybe that was another part of his trouble he's able to lull people into a false sense of security to make them follow him, to trust him. George Brewster and Sam and Victoria Holt didn't know him, yet they trusted him enough to let him get near enough to touch them. "Sure" she said smiling making it look she trusted him completely.

She followed him over to his cooler. He held out a beer and she reached for the can. His hand clamped around hers in a vice grip. Her eyes widened in shock and her heart beat sped, even though she was expecting this. She cleared her mind and looked at him as he looked at her in confusion and tightened his grip.

"It's not working" he said as his brows furrowed.

That was all Audrey needed to hear. "Haven Police, put your hands in the air!" she shouted at him. His eyes got wild as he dropped Claire's hand. "Hands in the air" she repeated and leveled her gun as she watched his eyes dart around looking to escape.

He pitched forward and plowed into Claire knocking her over and started running. She pulled the trigger and he fell to his knees, clutching his right leg. Audrey ran over to Claire. "Are you okay" she said worriedly.

"I'm fine" Claire told her. "Get him" she said nodding her head towards the whimpering Phillip Carter. Duke was already there holding him down with his knee in his back.

"Phillip Carter, you are under arrest for the murder of George Brewster, Sam Holt and Victoria Holt" She said holding her gun out as she moved closer to him.

"They killed themselves, you can't pin on that me" He said without a hint of remorse. She went around to his face that was smashed into the ground. He was in pain but he was still smiling. He didn't care that he killed them.

Duke could feel him start to convulse underneath his knee. He looked down at him than at Audrey. He was laughing. Now this dude was starting to freak him out a little. He was almost giggling now.

"I can feel it, I can smell it. Your happiness" he said staring straight into her eyes. Audrey had to force herself not to step back as he licked his lips. That was hunger in his eyes.

Then just as suddenly as it came, his mood changed. "I need them, I need it. They filled the emptiness I feel inside"

"This is more than just taking people happiness, he's feeding off it" Claire said to them as she read the report on her phone. She tried to get in contact with the doctor that revived Mr. Carter, the hospital just got back to her saying the doctor had died of a drug overdose shortly after that. He had a history of drug abuse but had been sober for two years. They just thought it was a relapse. "He needs to do this or he'll die" she finished after she told them what she learned.

"Audrey?" Duke looked at her asking her what he should do. This guy was a danger to himself and others. And he had a kid that he'd pass this on too.

Audrey looked at Duke kneeling over the fallen Phillip Carter, he was breathing heavily as he looked at his hands. Suddenly the scenery looked the same but Duke was gone.

_She was kneeling over a fallen Simon Crocker. He was looking at her with his eyes full of malice, she looked down at him, and he was holding his side where she could see the red blood seeping through his shirt. Then she looked at the gun in her hand._

_She looked behind her and saw eight year old Duke Crocker clutching a faded notebook staring wide eyed at both of them. _

_She left Simon and walked over to him and crotched down to his level. She saw herself put a hand on his shoulder as his innocent eyes looked into hers. "Duke" she said to him softly. "I need you do me a favor, can you do that for me?"_

_The little boy nodded his head. She reached behind her neck and undid her necklace. She held it out to him. "I need you take this" Looking at his young eager face. She couldn't believe what she was almost going to do. Was that what kind of person she really was? He was just a boy. That's not the kind of person she wanted to be. _

"_But it's yours" Duke said to her. _

"_It is, but someone else wants to see it" The little boy took the necklace from her. "I need you to go to my apartment; do you remember where it is?" Duke nodded. "The door is open, you need to go inside and call this number" she handed him a piece of paper. "A man named Mr. Howard will answer it tell him your name and tell him he needs to come to my house." Duke looked at her worried. He was a smart boy, she liked that. Howard wouldn't hurt him; she now knew how important he was to this town. He was needed and they could only hope he'd turn out to be a better man his father. "Don't worry he's not going to hurt you, I just want you to show him the necklace" _

"_Just show him?_

"_Yes, he just needs to see it. Can you do that for me, Duke?" he nodded enthusiastically and proud having been given a chance to help her. _

"_Do I give it back after?" he asked. _

_She closed her eyes, sighed and opened them again. "No, I want you to keep it safe for me. I…have to go away for awhile" she told him trying to hide the sadness in her voice._

_Will you be back?" he asked hopefully._

_She looked away from him. "In a way, I will" she told him with a sad smile, hoping he wouldn't notice. He didn't because he smiled wide back at her. "Now go, and don't look back, just run"_

_Duke nodded and took off as fast as little legs could carry him. She waited until she couldn't see him anymore and turned to Simon, all the anger she suppressed to talk to Duke was at the surface again. _

"_I told you couldn't do it" he sneered at her. "You don't have in you."_

"_I don't even know what I am, let alone what I'm capable of" she told him as her eyes locked on his. Did this man even care about his son or was his mission more important. "Where is he?" she said with all the rage rising inside her. Simon shrugged his shoulders and kept his mouth closed tightly. "WHERE IS MY SON?" she shouted at him. _

"_If we're lucky, he's already dead" Simon said to her with a smile. "If that one of you wasn't a little slut and got knocked up, we wouldn't have this problem. __You disappear, he won't. So we'll make him disappear. _The world doesn't need two of you." He spat. 

_She leveled her gun and pointed it at him. His smile just widened. "They think you're here to help them, to stop the troubles. My family are the only ones that can end the troubles, all you do is put a Band-Aid on them." He coughed and grimaced in pain then continued."They always come back worse than before."_

"_I'm not going to let you just murder innocent people" she told him with her gun still trained on him._

"_They're not innocent!" he said loudly. "They're a menace, freaks, this town would a lot better off if they were all dead" he coughed again. _

"_It doesn't have to be that way, we can work together""_

"_With you? You're the biggest freak of them all" he spat at her. "Always coming back, looking exactly as you did before. Betty, Sarah, Lucy, it never ends."_

_All she felt was contempt and hatred for this man, she cocked her gun and aimed at his head. Simon smiled and shook his head. "Kill me and you'll have to kill him too. It's his destiny. The Crocker's and whatever you are can't exist together. One of us kills the other that's how it works"_

"_Then I guess I'm winning" She told him locking her eyes on his._

_Simon laughed. "You should've had him kill me; you know that's the only to stop this."_

"_I don't need to stop it, he'll be better man you." _

"_We'll see about that" he said smiling. Her finger hovered lightly on the trigger. She couldn't let this man live. She'd find her son without him. _

"Audrey?" Duke called to her. "Audrey!" He screamed at her as her gun leveled on him.

"Audrey?" Claire called to her too and put her arm on her shoulder. She didn't react at all to her touch. Her eyes were clear and focused. She wasn't seeing what was in front of her, she was seeing something else.

Duke looked into her eyes and what he saw scared him. "Audrey, wake up!" Duke screamed.

_She pushed down on the trigger and the sound echoed through the forest._

Tbc…


	6. Ch 6 Countdown: Fifteen Days Left

**Follow Your Fate**

A/N: I started my story before the time travel episode, so in this that never happened. Nathan is not the Colorado Kid's father (because I don't even like that the show might be going there) in my story his father is someone else.

Summary: Audrey Parker had found out she'd had been many different people and lived many different lives. She had found answers to her questions and more questions than answers. But one question remained. Can you fight your fate?

* * *

**Countdown: Fifteen Days Left**

Duke threw himself over to the side and flattened himself against the grass as he heard the bullet land in the ground near him. He had his eyes squeezed shut and slowly opened them and got up looking to see if he had been hit.

Claire just reacted and pushed Audrey's arms to the opposite side of where Duke moved to just as the gun went off. She then grabbed the gun from Audrey's hands, she let go of it easily, too easily. She looked into Audrey eyes as her hands dropped loosely to her sides and her eyes drooped closed. Claire dropped the gun and caught Audrey and they both fell to the ground.

Duke looked at them then heard a coughing sound next to him and he looked over at Phillip Carter and saw the blood coming out of his mouth, he went over to him and slowly turned him around. The bullet had hit him in the chest. "She hit him, he's dying" he said out loud.

"If he dies…he has a daughter" Claire said to him cradling an unconscious Audrey in her arms. Duke looked at her and at Audrey.

"We can't let…you can't let that pass on to her" Claire continued. She was a doctor she wasn't supposed to think like this, but coming here to this town had turned her whole world upside down. She looked at her young grandmother and at Duke. "I'm sorry" she said to him as tears filled the corners of her eyes.

Duke sucked in his breath; Claire looked and sounded so much like Audrey right now. He looked back down at the fallen man, his breathing was becoming ragged and shallow. He reached over and touched the blood on his chest and looked at his hand. He felt the sudden rush flow through his body as the scenery around became clearer than it had ever been. He reached for Phillip Carter's face and covered his nose and mouth with his hand. He only struggled for a little bit then went still.

He removed his hand and balled into a fist and closed his eyes. He took a few deep breathes opened them again and walked over to Claire and Audrey.

"What happened?" he asked, he knew his eyes were still silver because everything was still in high definition.

"Her breathing is steady but it's slowing down. It's as if she went into a coma" Claire told him.

He parked his truck next to the other cars and got out. He started walking down the path when he heard a gunshot. He took off running through woods when he reached the clearing he stopped, his heart beat sped up as he saw the scene in front of him, Audrey lying still in Claire's arms and Duke leaning over her with silver eyes.

Nathan charged and tackled Duke to the ground. He heard Claire screaming something but he wasn't listening. He knew he shouldn't have let Audrey handle this alone, he should have gone with. His fist flew at Duke's face in a rage of fury.

Duke took each hit, even though he could easily have thrown Nathan off of him. He knew Nathan needed to get this out of his system, it's what he's always wanted to do and maybe he deserved to let him after all the things he did to him when they were kids.

Claire kept screaming Nathan's name begging him to stop, telling him Duke didn't do anything. She still kept Audrey's head cradled in her lap. She jumped when Audrey took a big intake of breath and her eyes flew open.

"I know where he is" she said with a big smile on her face. "I know where my son is"

Claire just looked at Audrey in shock. "What?" she asked trying to calm her heart beat down.

Nathan stopped mid punch as both he and Duke looked towards Audrey.

Claire helped her sit up. "I know where Lucy took your father" she told her granddaughter with a smile then looked around and saw Phillip Carter's still body with blood pooling around the grass underneath him and at Nathan who was still on top of bloodied up Duke with one hand on the collar of Duke's shirt. "What happened?"

Claire looked at her. "You…went somewhere else and shot at Duke, Duke moved out of the way in time but you hit him" she said looking towards Phillip Carter.

"Did I kill him?" She was horrified at the thought she killed someone without even knowing it.

"No, I did" Duke said as Nathan got off him and helped him up. "I ended his trouble"

Audrey nodded her head at Duke and looked at Nathan.

"I got here and you were on the ground and he…had his silver eyes…I thought…" his voice trailed off with everything that's been going on he knew he wasn't thinking clearly. But ever since learning about what Duke could do he couldn't stop worrying about Audrey.

Claire stood there quietly letting Audrey talk to Nathan and Duke but what Audrey had said when she first woke up was on her mind. "You said you know where my father is?"

Audrey turned to Claire and smiled. "Yes" she told her. She had found her son. "Lucy had to hide him so she took him to Canada." She closed her eyes trying to recall the name she saw on the sign. "Humboldt" She took a step forward and almost fell. Claire and Nathan caught her.

"We should get you checked out at the hospital first" Claire told her. "You didn't just pass out; you showed signs of being coma"

"No, we don't have time for that!" she screamed at them and pushed them off of her.

They all backed away from her. They had never seen Audrey get angry like that before. It wasn't so much her sudden outburst that scared them; it was look in her eyes. Her normally bright blue eyes had darkened and her voice sounded as if it was an octave lower.

Then she looked at them like she didn't even know what happened or how she sounded.

Audrey tried to shrug them off that idea; they didn't have time for any of that she found her son. Why were they looking at like that? They had to go now. "What?" she asked them.

It was Claire who spoke first. "We should make sure your okay and then I promise we will go" she told her. She didn't know the side effects when Audrey became Lucy, at the Holloway house she suffered nose bleeds and lost consciousness, another time her former FBI boss came to her in a dream and told not to remember then this time she went into a coma like state. Then that outburst of anger and the look in her eyes, it came from somewhere else. It wasn't Audrey and she didn't think it was Lucy either.

Audrey sighed then agreed, she could barely stand upright so she couldn't put up much of a fight.

She was throwing her clothes in her bag while Claire waited downstairs. The doctors gave her a clean bill of health, she just needed some rest. She closed her suitcase and walked down the stairs and saw Claire standing next to Nathan and Duke.

"Are you sure you can handle…" Nathan was unsure how to finish his sentence. He had never seen Audrey like that before, she always so calm and collected, even after having been abducted.

"If you need help I come with" Duke volunteered knowing Nathan had to stay behind. The chief of police couldn't just up and leave.

As much he hated it, Nathan was thinking that Duke should go with them. Claire was Audrey's family now; he wanted to keep both of them safe.

"I've dealt with patient's outburst before, I can handle it" Claire told him. She knew he was worried, so was she. Claire had a feeling that Audrey wasn't supposed to remember her past lives, she just didn't know why.

" I get it. Finding James Cogan is kind of the two of you thing" Duke said to her. "Just, be safe" he told her and Claire nodded. Then they all smiled when Audrey joined them.

Nathan's smile widened as Audrey approached him. He felt his happiest in her presence, he didn't even have to feel her physically he just needed to see her. He told her he broke up with Jordan while they were at the hospital. He felt bad for using her and he wasn't getting anywhere with the Guard. Plus Dwight had warned him against them, that is what he wanted to talk to him about. He showed him some things about the Guard and what they do, so he would continue his investigation and keep an eye on them. His main purpose was to protect Audrey and find a way for her to stay and he would.

Audrey smiled at Nathan and put her bag in Duke's truck. Claire and Duke walked around to the front of his vehicle to give them some privacy.

"This must be weird for you" Duke said to her as they leaned on the front of his truck. He mostly thought of how all of this affected Audrey, he didn't think about how it affected her. She also found out she still had family that was living. He knew what it was like to have no one. He had a daughter but he could never see her or be there for her. He did think about her all the time. So if James Cogan was anything like his mother, he ran from his daughter to protect her.

Claire smiled at him. "After everything I've seen since moving here…yes, it is weird" she said with a laugh. Duke smiled with her.

Nathan stood in front of Audrey as she leaned her against the inside of Duke's truck. Nathan stood there silently just looking at her. He was worried about her, she was running out of time but he knew she had to this. She had to find her son.

She had gone over a million different things to say to him but now that she was here with him, she couldn't think of any of them. She wanted too, needed to find her son. Because she thought if she did then maybe some answers to her life would be there with him. And as much as she wanted to be here with Nathan, she needed the answers more. "Well…we better get going" she said to him and removed her hands from the trunk.

"Good luck" he said awkwardly unsure of what else to say.

Audrey nodded. "Thanks" she replied just as awkwardly. She started to move around him to get the passenger side of the vehicle. She looked at Duke who turned around when he heard her coming towards them. He tilted his head and gave her a look that spoke volumes. She continued to look at him and he continued to stare into her eyes. She heard his words almost like he had spoken them out loud to her. _No regrets_. She turned around and walked back to Nathan. He was surprised when she walked back up to him.

She reached up and cupped his cheek in her hand, she saw his intake of breath as she touched his skin and he leaned into her hand. She moved forward and brought her lips to his softly and tenderly.

His eyes fell shut and breath seemed to leave him entirely as his lips meet hers wit more pressure each time they kissed. He moaned as his hand cradled her head, thumb stroking her neck just below the ear. Their noses brushed, breath mingled, tongues tangled. When they finally pulled apart for air Nathan leaned his forehead against Audrey's reveling in the feeling of her skin against his as they caught their breaths.

Audrey sat in her seat smiling as she stared out the window of the plane. Duke was right, if she only had a few days left she wanted to spend it with the people she loved and make sure that they knew she loved them too. She looked over at Claire who had a map of Canada laid out on her tray table. They were landing in an airport just outside of Humboldt, so she was mapping a route for them. Audrey didn't know where he was just that when she was Lucy she drove with him there and left him there. So she wasn't even sure if he stayed. It had been twenty seven years, he could've moved. This could lead them nowhere but this was only information she had to find her son.

Tbc…


	7. Ch 7 Fourteen Days Left

**Follow Your Fate**

Summary: Audrey Parker had found out she'd had been many different people and lived many different lives. She had found answers to her questions and more questions than answers. But one question remained. Can you fight your fate?

**Countdown: Fourteen Days Left**

They had driven around Humboldt for most of the day. Of course it didn't help that she didn't know what she was looking for. She wanted to keep trying but Claire had insisted they stop for the night and insinuated that rest may help her remember so she reluctantly agreed.

She remembered this much, why couldn't she remember more? They were so close to finding him, her son. She didn't want to rest, but she knew driving around aimlessly wasn't going to help either. They couldn't even ask the townsfolk where he was because she didn't know what he looked like or what name he was going by. She berated herself for not thinking of aging the picture they had of James to show people. Her time was running out and she wasn't going back to Haven without being able to see him. She hoped that whatever took her since it didn't let her get to live a full life, would at least let her meet her son.

Claire watched Audrey lay on the bed staring at the ceiling of the small room they were sharing at a local inn trying to remember. Her body was tense and agitated. "Audrey, you have to relax. You can't force the memories to come back" she told her softly. She was hoping she'd fall asleep because she more afraid of what would happen if she did remember.

She knew they didn't have much time left and they had no clue where to look. What worried her was Audrey's memories were affecting her physically as well as mentally. She wanted to find him too, ever since she found out he was alive it's all she wanted. But she wasn't going to endanger Audrey's heath to find her father.

They knew about Lucy and Sarah, and then she had told her about killing Simon Crocker and him mentioning Betty. So how far back did this really go? How many people's memories did she hold in her head? And if she could remember Lucy then they didn't erase them, all those people were still in there.

When she had woken from her coma like state and yelled at them, the air around her felt different somehow she didn't know how to explain it. The look in her eyes was filled with so much anger, more anger then what was in her voice when she spoke. It was Audrey, but it wasn't.

The next morning they started out once again driving around the town to see if anything looked familiar. Humboldt was a farming community so Claire decided to leave the main part of town and head out to the farms. They were driving in silence with Audrey leaning her head against the window just staring out of it.

Suddenly Audrey told Claire to turn left onto a dirt road. She had to cut a guy in truck behind her off to make the turn. He swore at them as he drove by. Audrey hadn't noticed her eyes were focused straight ahead. At what Claire didn't know because all she saw was an unpaved dirt road that went on for miles.

It was a red dirt road surrounded by untamed grass but it was familiar. The memory was in a fog but she knew she traveled down this road before. And there would only be one possible reason for that.

The rental bounced along the road, Claire was beginning to think it led to nowhere when she spotted a house in the distance then a wooden barn came into view. It was the only thing in front of them so she figured that's where they were going. She looked at Audrey, who nodded her head.

The car kicked up gravel as she slowed it to a stop in front of the drive of the modest two story house. A man with brown hair was outside with his back to them tending to his flowers. He stood up and turned when he heard them.

Nathan sat at his desk when Dave and Vince entered his office without knocking. "Where's Audrey?" they both asked at the same time. He heard the tension in their voice and he took a little glee in the fact that they didn't know something. "Out" he replied to them without looking up from his paperwork.

"Out where?" Vince asked.

"Out" Nathan replied again keeping his eyes on his work. He felt the brothers staring at him, waiting for him just to tell them. He wasn't going to give in; they should know how it feels. And what Audrey was doing was none of their business anyway.

"Does it have something to do with her son?" Dave asked trying to sound sincere.

"That's all you are going to get, because that's all I get when I ask for your help" he told them firmly looking up at them.

"You have to stop her from remembering" Vince blurted out and that earned a dark glare from Dave.

"Why?" Nathan asked keeping his eyes locked on the bigger man's waiting to see if he'd get a reply.

Dave and Vince looked at each other; it almost looked like they were having a silent battle inside of one another's minds. "She just can't remember" Dave finally answered.

"That's not a good enough reason" Nathan replied getting ready to write them off and continue his work. He didn't have times for their games today or any day. He just wanted them to leave. Whatever pleasure he had for them being out of loop was quickly waning.

"It's dangerous" Vince said quickly, getting another dark glare from Dave. He knew his brother didn't want to say anything, but it was getting to close. She was getting to close and he didn't want to have to go through the same thing with Sarah again. If anyone can stop Audrey, it's Nathan. She'd listen to him.

Nathan looked up again now a little worried. "Why is it dangerous for Audrey to remember?"

Dave started pushing his brother out of the room but the bigger man held his ground. He turned to face Nathan.

Vince closed his eyes, took deep breaths, willing himself to continue. He swallowed and locked his eyes onto the younger man's.

"It's not dangerous for her to remember…she's dangerous if she remembers"

Tbc…


	8. Ch 8 Countdown: Thirteen Days Left

**Follow Your Fate**

Summary: Audrey Parker had found out she'd had been many different people and lived many different lives. She had found answers to her questions and more questions than answers. But one question remained. Can you fight your fate?

* * *

**Countdown: Thirteen Days Left**

Claire put the car in park and they both stared at the man. He was tall and looked to be in great shape for his age, his brown hair was cropped short and his skin was tan from working outside. He wiped his hands with a rag and stuck the rag in his back pocket as he looked at them. Audrey couldn't take her eyes off of him. She didn't know who his father was, she didn't remember finding out she was pregnant, she didn't ever remember holding him, but looking at him now she knew he was her son.

She slowly reached for the door handle and opened the door. She got out of the car and closed her eyes and opened them again to make sure it was still real. When she found her voice she asked. "Do you know who I am?"

"Lucy told me she'd be back. She said you'd look exactly the same, but maybe with a different hair color" he told her. "I believed her; it's just, still strange to see you"

Audrey let out a little laugh. "I imagine it is" she smiled. This was her son. A part of her that had lived on when she went away. She had a family, she wasn't alone, she had found her son and her granddaughter. She breathed out and tried not to cry. "I'm Audrey Parker…or well that's what I'm called this time"

"Audrey Parker" he repeated. "Scott Brewster. That's what I'm called this time" he said with a smile.

"What's in a name" Audrey said with an awkward laugh. Names didn't mean much for them, they had gone by different names in their lives. She smiled thinking it could be considered a family tradition.

Claire watched the exchange from the car. She had turned the ignition off but left the keys dangling over her knee. She'd always imagined meeting her father, she had thought he was dead for most of her life and now here he was talking to her grandmother. She opened the door and closed it softly. They both turned to look at her.

Audrey smiled at her. "This is Claire" she told her son.

"Hello" he said to her.

"Cogan" she said hoarsely. "Claire…Cogan…that's my name" she said softly and shyly.

His eyes widened as he looked at her, then he looked at Audrey who smiled and nodded at him. "Claire" he said trying to remember to breathe. He was looking at his baby girl, who was not a baby anymore. Leaving her, leaving them both was the hardest thing he'd ever done. "I didn't think I'd ever see you" he said as the tears welled in his eyes.

James Cogan stared at his daughter. She was ten months old the last time he saw her. He remembered her waddling over to him with a huge smile on her face. They had taken her to the park for a picnic. She had picked up a flower and wanted to show it to him. That was two weeks before he found out about Lucy. And now his adult daughter was standing in front of him. He didn't know what he should do, he didn't know her or what was appropriate to do in this situation. He didn't want to go for a hug and scare her if she wasn't ready, so he stuck his hands in his pockets and they all stared at each other awkwardly.

Then he remembered his manners. "Do you want to come inside and have something to drink? I just made lemonade"

"Sure, yes that would be nice" Audrey replied as she looked at Claire was just standing there. James turned towards his house and she went over to her and put her hand on Claire's shoulder. "Are you okay?"Claire nodded. "I know, this is a lot to take in."

Claire let out a laugh and looked at her. "That's my line" she said and Audrey smiled at her as they followed him inside his house.

James walked them through the foyer to a spacious living room with stone fireplace. He told them to have a seat while he got the lemonade. Audrey walked over to the couch then noticed that Claire hadn't followed her but had walked over the fireplace where there were a bunch of framed photographs. Claire's eyes went to the wedding photo of a smiling James and a brunette woman.

James walked into the living room with a tray with three glasses and a pitcher of lemonade. He saw them staring at the pictures on the fireplace. He placed the tray on the coffee table quietly. "That's my wife, April. "She went to Wadena for a bird watching festival" he told them, he berated himself for not telling them sooner. "I'm sorry, I…"

Claire turned around to face him. "You don't need to apologize. I didn't expect you to be alone all these years"

He closed his eyes and took a breath. "Leaving Arla and you…it was the hardest thing I ever to do. But I had to keep both of you safe. They killed me and if they knew about you…"

"I know" Claire said interrupting him, she saw how hard this was on him and didn't want to bring up bad memories.

"I was trying to protect you" he continued and looked down at the ground. "And I failed with your mother. I'm sorry" When he heard about Arla's death he was devastated, he almost packed up his things to go to Claire. But his mother's warning rang in his head and the bullet shaped scar on his chest told him he couldn't, not if he wanted to keep his daughter alive.

"I don't blame for what happened" Claire told him walking closer to him. "This whole thing is…I don't even know how to explain it" she said and looked towards Audrey.

James nodded. "Please sit down" he told them and picked up the pitcher and filled the glasses. "So what do you two do for a living?" he asked after they settled in their seats and were sipping their drinks. He didn't know what else to talk about with them. So he figured that was a safe subject.

"I'm was a FBI Agent and now I work for the Haven PD" Audrey told him. "Or well that's why my memories tell me I am" she finished with an awkward laugh.

James nodded. "A cop"

"Claire's a doctor" She told him proudly. After saying that she felt like a grandmother bragging about her granddaughter. And she kind of liked that feeling.

"A doctor!" James repeated just as proudly.

"A psychiatrist" Claire corrected them. "Not a medical doctor"

"Psychiatrists are just as important" Her father said to her. "My daughter's a doctor" he said with a smile. The conversation lulled again after that. They all knew about Haven and the troubles so there wasn't much to talk about that. There was one question he needed to ask and wanted to since she arrived. He turned towards Audrey. "Do you remember anything…from being Lucy?" Lucy barely remembered anything about Sarah, his mother or at least the one that gave birth to him. All three of them were his mother. Even after all these years that was still strange to him.

"Not much" she told him. She did have a dream last night.

She saw herself kneeling over James' casket, staring at him lying so still inside of it. She turned her head to the bearded man next to her; he put a hand on her shoulder for comfort and told her James would wake up at sundown. She thanked him for doing this for her. He just looked at her and told her he understood, he had two girls at home and he would do anything to protect them. And he appreciated everything she'd done for this town and it was time they started helping her.

When she woke up she knew that she had met Noelle and Moira's father and he had brought back James for her.

James suddenly put his glass down on the table startling them. "I almost forgot I have something for you. Lucy told me to give it you when you showed up" He stood up and motioned for them to follow him. "It's outside, she told me not to keep it in the house"

Audrey and Claire looked at each other then followed him

Nathan was standing in an empty field. He spun around trying to figure out where he was. He was in a clearing somewhere, he saw the forest all around him in the distance. What worried him was that everything was really still, eerily still.

"Not a lot of people know about this place" Nathan turned around when he heard the voice behind him.

"Dave?" he asked confused.

"I wanted you to see this" Dave said walking over to him.

Nathan shook his head and rubbed his eyes. He didn't know what was going on or how he got here. He left work and went to straight to bed. He didn't remember leaving his house.

"You didn't leave your house" Dave said to him. "You're still there"

Nathan closed his eyes and opened them, the older man was still standing in front of him, but his clothes had changed. "I'm dreaming" Nathan asked more to himself. Then wondered why of all the people he was dreaming of Dave Teagues.

"You are dreaming, Nathan" Dave told him.

"Dreaming, okay" Nathan said rubbing his face with his hand. "If I'm at home, where are you?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Close by, that how this works" Dave replied.

Nathan furrowed his brows as he looked at the older man, they his eyes widened in realization and shook his head slightly "This is your trouble?" Dave nodded, then sighed and looked over a burned spot on the empty field. "You can show up in people's dreams?" Nathan asked.

"It's called dreamwalking" Dave told him. His eyes were scanning their surroundings. "If Vince figures out what I'm doing he can show up and kill me. But this is too important, you need to know why Audrey can't remember"

Nathan didn't like this it all, but if Dave was going to give him answers he'd need to stay calm to get them. And at least he now knew what that the Teagues' were troubled and what their trouble was. _Dreamwalking_ Nathan said to himself, that explained how they knew things they shouldn't. It also made him feel violated and wonder how many dreams of his they walked in on. He took a deep breath, he'd talk to Dave about that later. First he needed to find out what he knew about Audrey and how to keep her safe. "Okay, then tell me" he said to him.

"I'll do better than that; I'm going to show you"

Tbc..


End file.
